IP Library Granted Patent US 8,421,770
Granted Patent B2
US 8,421,770 · App. 13/490,277 · Granted Apr 16, 2013

Physical feedback to indicate object directional slide

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,421,770
App. No.
13/490,277
Granted
Apr 16, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device, medium, and method are provided for enabling a user to control a mobile communications device that includes a vibration component. One embodiment of the method includes presenting an object on a touchscreen display of the mobile communications device; enabling the object to be moveable on the touchscreen by way of a touch interaction; in real time, continuously varying an output of the vibration component to cause a vibrational response of the mobile communications device, such that movement of the object in a first direction causes a first continuous vibrational output, and movement of the object in a second direction causes a second continuous vibrational output.

Claims (32)

1. A mobile communications device comprising:

a radio that facilitates wireless communication with a telecommunications network;

a vibration component that creates a vibrational response of the mobile communications device;

a touchscreen that receives input by way of a touch action; and

a processor coupled to the vibration component and to the touchscreen, wherein the processor is configured to help coordinate the vibrational response to a movement of an object within a first portion of the touchscreen such that

A) a movement of the object in a first direction results in a first real-time vibrational output that continuously varies in frequency with the movement of the object in the first direction, until the object moves into a second portion of the touchscreen, wherein movement of the object in the first direction within the second portion of the touchscreen results in a second real-time vibrational output having a different slope of a change in frequency with respect to movement of the object than the first real-time vibrational output, and that

B) a movement of the object in a second direction results in a third real-time vibrational output that continuously varies in frequency with the movement of the object in the second direction differently than the first real-time vibrational output, until the object moves into a third portion of the touchscreen, wherein movement of the object in the second direction within the third portion of the touchscreen results in a fourth real-time vibrational output having a different slope of a change in frequency with respect to movement of the object than the third real-time vibrational output.

2. The mobile communications device of claim 1 , wherein the object is an informational element that includes information about an event that gave rise to a presentation of the object.

3. The mobile communications device of claim 1 , wherein the first real-time vibrational output increases in frequency as the object is progressively more displaced in the first direction.

4. The mobile communications device of claim 3 , wherein the first real-time vibrational output monotonically increases in frequency as the object is progressively more displaced in the first direction.

5. The mobile communications device of claim 4 , wherein the first real-time vibrational output monotonically increases in frequency as the object is progressively more displaced in the first direction until the object is moved in the first direction beyond a threshold distance from a starting position, wherein thereafter, the frequency of the first real-time vibrational output is no longer monotonically increasing.

6. The mobile communications device of claim 1 , wherein the third real-time vibrational output decreases in frequency as the object is progressively more displaced in the second direction.

7. The mobile communications device of claim 6 , wherein the frequency of the third real-time vibrational output monotonically decreases as the object is progressively more displaced in the second direction.

8. The mobile communications device of claim 7 , wherein the frequency of the third real-time vibrational output monotonically decreases as the object is progressively more displaced in the second direction until the object is moved in the second direction beyond a threshold distance from a starting position, wherein thereafter, the frequency of the third real-time vibrational output is no longer monotonically decreasing.

9. The mobile communications device of claim 1 , wherein the first real-time vibrational output is a dynamically created vibrational response that is created based on the movement of the object.

10. One or more nontransitory computer-readable media having computer-useable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method of enabling a user to control a mobile communications device that includes a vibration component, the method comprising:

varying a vibrational response to a movement of an object within a first portion of a touchscreen such that

A) a movement of the object in a first direction results in a first real-time vibrational output that continuously varies with the movement of the object in the first direction, until the object moves into a second portion of the touchscreen, wherein movement of the object in the first direction within the second portion of the touchscreen results in a second real-time vibrational output that varies with a different slope of a change of at least one of magnitude or frequency with respect to movement of the object than the first real-time vibrational output, and that

B) a movement of the object in a second direction results in a third real-time vibrational output that continuously varies with the movement of the object in the second direction differently than the first real-time vibrational output, until the object moves into a third portion of the touchscreen, wherein movement of the object in the second direction within the third portion of the touchscreen results in a fourth real-time vibrational output that varies with a different slope of a change of at least one of magnitude or frequency with respect to movement of the object than the third real-time vibrational output.

11. The media of claim 10 , wherein the object is an informational element that includes information about an event that gave rise to a presentation of the object.

12. The media of claim 10 , wherein the first real-time vibrational output varies in at least one of frequency or magnitude as the object is progressively more displaced in the first direction.

13. The media of claim 12 , wherein the first real-time vibrational output varies monotonically as the object is progressively more displaced in the first direction.

14. The media of claim 12 , wherein the first real-time vibrational output increases as the object is progressively more displaced in the first direction until the object is moved in the first direction beyond a threshold distance from a starting position, wherein thereafter, the first real-time vibrational output is no longer increasing.

15. The media of claim 10 , wherein the third real-time vibrational output varies in at least one of frequency or magnitude as the object is progressively more displaced in the second direction.

16. The media of claim 15 , wherein the third real-time vibrational output varies monotonically as the object is progressively more displaced in the second direction.

17. The media of claim 15 , wherein the third real-time vibrational output decreases as the object is progressively more displaced in the second direction until the object is moved in the second direction beyond a threshold distance from a starting position, wherein thereafter, the third real-time vibrational output is no longer decreasing.

18. The media of claim 10 , wherein the first real-time vibrational output is a dynamically created vibrational response that is created based on the movement of the object.

19. A method of enabling a user to control a mobile communications device that includes a vibration component, the method comprising:

varying a vibrational response to a movement of an object within a first portion of a touchscreen such that

A) a movement of the object in a first direction results in a first real-time vibrational output that continuously varies in frequency with the movement of the object in the first direction, until the object moves into a second portion of the touchscreen, wherein movement of the object in the first direction within the second portion of the touchscreen results in a second real-time vibrational output having a different slope of a change in frequency with respect to movement of the object than the first real-time vibrational output, and that

a movement of the object in a second direction results in a third real-time vibrational output that continuously varies in frequency with the movement of the object in the second direction differently than the first real-time vibrational output, until the object moves into a third portion of the touchscreen, wherein movement of the object in the first direction within the second portion of the touchscreen results in a second real-time vibrational output having a different slope of a change in frequency with respect to movement of the object than the first real-time vibrational output.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the object is an informational element that includes information about an event that gave rise to a presentation of the object.

Assignments (3)
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF FIRST PRIORITY AND JUNIOR PRIORITY SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Apr 2, 2020
From: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS
To: SPRINT COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY L.P.
Reel/Frame 052969/0475 →
GRANT OF FIRST PRIORITY AND JUNIOR PRIORITY SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Mar 6, 2017
From: SPRINT COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY L.P.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS
Reel/Frame 041895/0210 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 6, 2012
From: LUNDY, MICHAEL T.; VAN ORDEN, MATHEW JAY
To: SPRINT COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY L.P.
Reel/Frame 028331/0058 →